Crewsaver supports Exercise Transglobe

TRANSGLOBE RACE CREWS PREPARE FOR THE ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART RACE 2009

TRANSGLOBE RACE CREWS PREPARE FOR THE ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART RACE 2009

Standings after five legs
After consideration of the damage incurred in the Southern Ocean on Leg 4 and the completion of the relatively benign Leg 5, the overall standings are:

* 1st RAF with 12 points
* 2nd Army with 16 points
* 3rd RN with 19 points

Sqn Ldr Neil Cottrell, Exercise TRANSGLOBE Project Team Leader sums up the Exercise thus far:

“After five demanding and event filled legs, the yachts have completed 16,000 miles of the full 34,000 nm circumnavigation. The boats are in excellent condition, a testament to the combination of the preparation they received before leaving the UK, and the maintenance work completed by all the crews. The crews have received outstanding support and hospitality at each of the crew changeover ports and there’s a huge amount of interest in what we are doing, particularly in the use of sailing as an Adventurous Training activity.”

The experienced race teams from each of the Services have now arrived in Sydney and are preparing themselves and the boats for the challenge of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Their Crewsaver safety equipment has passed the mandatory six-monthly inspection and they are confident that their Gill OC Racer clothing will enable them to perform at their best.

HMSTVs Adventure of Hornet (Navy), Challenger of Hornet (Army) and Discoverer of Hornet (RAF) will be on the start line on Boxing Day, December 26th, jostling for position and racing for, amongst other things, the Oggin Cup, an inter-services trophy awarded at the end of the race that the CYCA (Cruising Yacht Club of Australia) has kindly re-instated for the winning military team. First contested in 1984 the Oggin Cup has had British winners before and it will be interesting to see how the intense service rivalry develops between the TRANSGLOBE fleet as well as with any other service yachts entered this year.

Although Leg 6 is the shortest leg of the Exercise at 640nm, it will no doubt also prove to be the most intense as the crews racing on each of the three TRANSGLOBE yachts are determined to represent their country and their Service to the best of their ability with a fast time, and even hoping for some silverware. The Sydney Hobart is one of the greatest ocean races in yachting’s grand prix racing calendar, and Morwenna says that the crews are excited and a little anxious about it as the time draws closer. “Our Royal Air Force team has sailed together three times since selection began at the start of 2009, in order to ensure that we work together effectively as a team. In August we completed the Rolex Fastnet Race in an historic yacht, HMSTC Dasher.”

The Royal Air Force boat undertaking Exercise TRANSGLOBE is HMSTV Discoverer (or ‘Disco’ as she has been nicknamed), and her skipper is Becky Walford. Becky flew out early to Sydney in order to start the lengthy repairs the boat needed after the Southern Ocean crossings from Cape Town to Perth and then from Perth to Sydney. The remaining RAF crew members flew out from Heathrow on 17 December with their Team Captain, Flight Lieutenant Pete Cooper, who is based at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire. Other Disco crew members include Flight Lieutenant Tamsin Ryall, a Search and Rescue helicopter pilot from Chivenor in Devon; Sergeant Kez Parker, a Search and Rescue winchman instructing at Royal Air Force Valley in Anglesey and Wing Commander Nick Carter, from the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Unit Headley Court. Morwenna, who is the least experienced member of the crew, is also based at Royal Air Force Valley in Anglesey, where she works in the Headquarters of the Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service.

Tracking and position reports as well as more details about Exercise TRANSGLOBE are on the official website at: http://www.exercisetransglobe.com|.

Also keep up to date with the latest Exercise Transglobe news on the Crewsaver website|.

For further information please contact:
Crewsaver, Mumby Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1AQ
Tel. +44 (0) 23 9252 8621; Fax. +44 (0) 23 9251 0905
Email: oana.matty@crewsaver.co.uk|

For Media enquiries please contact Peta Stuart-Hunt: peta@prworksuk.com|

Archive:

November 09 - TRANSGLOBE LEG 5 PERTH TO SYDNEY GETS UNDERWAY|

November 09 - PREVIEW LEG 5 A RELATIVELY SHORT HOP TO SYDNEY|

October 09 - LEG 4 CAPE TOWN TO PERTH|

September 09 - WEARY TRANSGLOBE CREWS ARRIVE IN RIO|

August 09 - THE FLEET CHASES DOWN THE MILES INTO CAPE TOWN|

July 09 - YACHTS AND CREWS ARE SAFELY DELIVERED TO LANZAROTE|

July 09 - EXERCISE TRANSGLOBE START DAY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!|

July 09 - Exercise TRANSGLOBE delighted to announce the support of global adventurer Bear Grylls|